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Wednesday, 27 February 2019

Kate in Green Missoni Dress for Belfast Reception

The Baron and Baroness of Carrickfergus concluded a busy day in Belfast with a party at Empire Music Hall to celebrate young people who are making a difference.

The Duchess arriving.

William and Kate arrived in Belfast this afternoon and began with a visit to the Irish Football Association where they learned about several initiatives supporting young people to progress in sports and supporting the mental health of youngsters. The sporty day saw the royal couple take to the pitch for a game of football before travelling to Fermanagh to visit charity Extern at residential activity centre Roscor Youth Village. It was canoeing, archery and walking tightropes before they returned to Belfast for this evening's reception.

The Empire Music Hall is one of Belfast's musical hotspots offering three floors of bars, blues, rock, jazz and comedy.

The Duchess surprised guests by pulling a pint of Harp.

As William took his turn he said: "Look at that bad boy. Perfect. It's good enough for an advert."

The Prince looked very pleased with the results :)

The band LARKS took to the stage; guests encompassed representatives from Northern Ireland’s business, arts and sport sectors.

The evening was hosted by the Queen's representative Mrs Fionnuala Jay-O’Boyle CBE.

The Baron and Baroness were delighted to meet Dame Mary Peters.

Earlier today Dame Peters was appointed Lady Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter by Her Majesty the Queen.

In medieval times, King Edward III was so inspired by tales of King Arthur and the chivalry of the Knights of the Round Table that he set up his own group of honourable knights, called the Order of the Garter. Nearly 700 years later, the Order is the oldest and most senior Order of Chivalry in Britain. The knights, now both male and female, used to be limited to aristocracy, but today they are chosen from a variety of backgrounds, in recognition for their public service.

Mary Peters was born in Lancashire, but moved to Northern Ireland when she was eleven after her father's job was relocated. During her time at Portadown College the headmaster introduced her to athletics. In the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Peters won the gold medal in the women's pentathlon, setting a world record score. The win came at the height of the Troubles. After her victory, death threats were phoned into the BBC: "Mary Peters is a protestant and has won a medal for Britain. An attempt will be made on her life and it will be blamed on the IRA... Her home will be going up in the near future." Despite this, Peters insisted she would return home to Belfast. She was unable to live in her flat for three months after her return due to fears for her safety. In 1975, she established the Mary Peters Trust to support talented young sportsmen and women, both able-bodied and disabled, from across Northern Ireland. Today, the trust is Northern Ireland's leading sporting charity.

During a speech, William praised Mary Peters work. More from the Mail Online:

'Catherine and I are grateful to be amongst so many inspirational young leaders this evening. Over the course of the day, we've had the great privilege of meeting some of you personally and seeing first-hand the work that you are doing.

From using sport to encourage people to talk openly about mental health to delivering services to children and young people who are at risk of entering care or custody - the work you do transcends community divisions and is helping deliver a brighter future for everybody in Northern Ireland. And as we celebrate those who are leading that change for the next generation, it is also fitting that we recognise somebody else in the room this evening - who helped inspire so many of you in the first place.

'Mary Peters, is not only one of the United Kingdom's sporting legends, she's also inspired generation after generation to come together in times of trouble and work for the common good - a lesson I hope many of us can learn from. So it was fitting today that Her Majesty The Queen has appointed Mary to be a Lady Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter - one of the UK's highest honours. And I hope you can all join me in thanking and congratulating her personally this evening.'

Amid an incredibly challenging time in the UK, William's speech brought Brexit to mind. More from Martin Robinson:

'The Duke of Cambridge has urged people to 'come together in times of trouble and work for the common good' in a speech echoing the Queen's call for unity on Brexit as he pays a visit to Northern Ireland. Meanwhile the second-in-line used the opportunity to praise individuals seeking to work for 'the common good', which was thought to be a thinly veiled reference to Brexit, in a speech which echoed the sentiments of the Queen's a month earlier.'

A video from the night with footage of William's speech and the couple pulling pints.

William and Kate departing.

The Baroness looked elegant in the mint green Missoni Metallic Lurex Dress (with thanks to Middleton Maven). I suspected we would see Kate in green for the visit at some point; this was a very nice choice for the occasion.

Made in Italy, the £1,325 dress is described: "Missoni's whisper-weight mint Lurex dress is woven with shimmering threads and has an elegant V-shaped neckline - the pleated midi skirt looks really classic, too." The lightweight knit piece is available at Net-A-Porter.

100 comments:

This (including recent weeks/months) is probably the best Kate has ever looked IMO. She is really upping her game. I was hoping for the metallic cream Erdem Rhona repeat ...and instead got this beatiful innovation of the same look, a very similar yet new look. Not objecting at all. I love repeats but I already got my portion earlier today so I am just going to enjoy this fabulous outfit. I guess I love matchy-matchy so it hits just the right note for me. Besides clothes, I love Kate's hair nowadays, her physique is admirable too, and she still keeps that post-Louis glow. I applaud! Ella

What a great day of events! And nice with some glam in the evening as well! I like this look. It looks festive and pretty but also comfortable and not too stuffy. Nice look all around and quite a pretty colour!

I wonder what the tally in Cambridge boat races are right now (thinking about the event earlier today). The only one I remember was Kate winning in Australia (or was it NZ?), because William "blamed" it on the "Cambridge guns breaking the grinder".

I love it!!! I know some people will blow a gasket over the shoes (while I agree they are not my favorites). I do think they work with the minty dress. We haven’t seen other nude shoes she has worn in the past, these just must be extremely worn in and comfy.

Wow this is incredible! Well well done, our girl! When I first saw these pictures, they felt like a glamorous "off duty" event to me- not to say she is AT ALL dressed inappropriate- much to the contrary- it just felt very classic Kate. If this were about $1k cheaper I would purchase it in a heartbeat.

I agree with you Penny, the shoes and bag are a miss for me, they are to heavy for the delicate shimmery dress. Her sparkly silver pumps or sandals would have lifted the look to glamorous. I think it could have been a little shorter too.

Agree completely. I also thought of a silver shoe. I even looked up some beautiful Manolo Blahniks for her and found some gorgeous silver ones. We're seeing these shoes a bit too often now and they do nothing for this evening outfit.

A mint green dress with metallic touches and a light, springtime look to it... at a semi-casual daytime event... It seems that accessories choices are limited to matching mint green or subtle neutrals. The former would be too formal. I think that Kate made the right choice with the latter. As always, I don't envy her challenge to look regal and yet approachable. Not an easy task.

I just read Charlotte's most recent post that ended with the recap of the Northern Ireland visit, and realized my mistake... this mint green dress was worn to an evening reception, not a daytime event.

Very pretty dress on her but I do not like the color of the shoes and clutch with the green dress. Not sure what she should have used but my first thought was silver but maybe they thought that made the outfit look to fancy with silver shoes. I might have gone with a simple silver clutch and maybe one of those shoe styles with a silver heal and toe and then clear plastic for most of the shoe. She and William both looked great.

I'm liking that idea and i don't normally like the plastic shoe look!I always find myself wondering what CP Mary would choose, as I always find I love all of her outfits when looking at what royal ladies wearing.Sue in WA

Caryn, I think that under normal circumstances that a lined dress would be fine, however, the flash of multiple cameras can make their clothing appear much more sheer and show more than in normal lighting.

Wow! She looks amazing! Love the dress! I would have like to have seen her hair up loosely like she wears it with all the intricate weaving. Love it like that, romantic like the dress IMO. But well done Kate!

Anon in CO, I am with you. I like the shoes and think they work well. This isn’t a formal event, someone is still wearing their puffer jacket in one of the pics. Sparkly shoes would have been over the top.

I agree that a sparkling shoe would have put this dress over the top for the occassion. As it is she was bordering on being overdressed since it is one of those difficult events where everybody else looks like they have just come from work to have a couple of drinks with friends, William is not even wearing a tie. But it is still an evening reception so she have to balance the day/evening line. Sparkling dress/day shoes or she could have gone day dress/sparkling shoe but not both. Or she could have taken a page from her sister-in-law book and worn black pants with a pretty top and killer shoes.

I am not a fan of the shoes, I like nude pumps but I think she hasn't found yet the ones that actually match her skin color. I also think that the photographs do not show the actual mint color of the dress so maybe the shoes tone is also altered.

I love the dress. I think it is now safe to say that she likes -and looks very nice in- retro styles so let's just enjoy how beautiful she looks and hope people stop waiting for last trend couture on her. Her hair is amazing lately.

I was surprised to see how many people gathered to see them considering that this party was only announced this midday. Looking forward to the full post, I have already seen a video of Kate pouring a pint, I expect more party clips.

Everyone already knows how I feel about the shoes. However even if I loved those shoes I don't think it goes with the kind of cocktail dress look. Her silvery pumps, maybe some patent leather, all go better than these workday suede pumps which look so so plain. I'd feel the same way if she paired this dress with say, her Tod pumps which I actually like. Simply put she needs a more fabulous shoe to go with this lovely dress.

oh my! I actually really like the dress!! its great for her figure. I like the clutch, I think mostly because it is up near the dress where there is contrast with the dress that is very pretty but, im feeling like im channeling ivy Lin with the brown socks thought, lol:) different color accessories would have been better, she must have emerald shoes/purses? there is no pop at the bottom of her outfit, ill leave it at that. I am a huge Kiki fan and these new jewels are so so awesome! I just love how smiley she is and how they are so comfortable and secure with each other. now, onto read the comments!

I normally think Kate looks better in stronger colors, but she does looks good in this green. I wish she would branch out from matchy jewelry, but the pieces are actually quite pretty. Still wish she hadn’t worn the praline pumps... but her hair looks really good, so I’m almost, but not quite, willing to forgive the shoes. Not quite. Overall, a nice, surprising day one of the mini tour.

Kate is lovely in this dress. I don’t dislike her shoes as much as some others do; that said I would’ve perferred to see her in a pair with some subtle sparkle in them. As always, thank you Charlotte for your terrific posts today! ☺️

Love this! I think the dress cut and color works well. I do like the accessories. I think if she had worn a flashy shoe, she would have ended up looking too dressed up and sparkly compared to the other guests.

Is anyone else getting flashbacks of early years? I swear there was another engagement early in their marriage where she pulled a pint and her grin is almost the exact same. Like eerily the same. If it wasn’t for the dress, I would have wondered if it was an old pic!

I agree Katie C.H.! This event was somewhat casual and I think she hit the right notes with her dress and shoes. Royal yet approachable. And I think they pulled pints a few years ago, you're right! When was that?!

I really like the dress but the shoes and the bag just do not work with it. The jewelry is pretty and her hair looked great, but it wasn't enough to distract from the bad accessories. Not a total miss though.

Wow, not much to say that hasn't already been said, but Kate looks beautiful. Love the dress, the color, the willowy material is perfect, and that jewelry, very delicate and feminine. But mostly love how William and Kate love each other, it is heart warming. cc

The dress is beautiful, and it fits her figure perfectly. I didn't get the praline shoes, as the dress looked silvery/gray to me. But since it is actually green, the choice makes more sense. I love the new jewelry. This was such a nice surprise! Can't wait until tomorrow.

Congratulations to the Cambridges!They look like a genuinely fun couple who care about other people and their causes. With their polite, relaxed and pleasant manner, they keep the focus of the cause and not on themselves. Kate glows, William laughs (and smiles) and all is well in the land...which exactly the feeling Royalty should give us.

I think the dress is gorgeous and Kate looks beautiful! However, if you watch the video of Kate pouring the beer that’s posted on the Daily Mail website, you can really see the outline of her legs up through the lower abdomen in the last few frames because of the camera flashes which is unfortunate. Since these are not normal circumstances, I agree with Caryn—some sort of lining should be sewn in to dresses with sheer fabrics.

These shoes go with nearly everything and are rarely a miss, and I think they work here too. What doesn't work for me: that clutch! It looks empty, big, and reads 'day time.' I also am not a fan of matching jewelry sets but she must collect Kiki McDonough stuff or something cause she is SUPER into the brand.

What a lovely, lovely post Charlotte – thanks so much! As many have mentioned already, I am so happy to see how relaxed and confident Kate seems to be now during all of her engagements – even in her speeches! This may be stretching it a bit, but I find that William also seems to be a bit more relaxed on their “double dates,” perhaps because she has been coming into her own now so quickly. I still wonder how much Catherine Quinn has had to do with this great “Kate-with-oodles-of-confidence.” If she has had an influence in that way, what a wonderful gift she has given Catherine, William, their family and ultimately, all of us. We have a lovely, radiant, intelligent, relaxed Duchess who will make a wonderful queen someday (IMHO [There’s supposed to be a Smiley emoji in here!]). These days, I don’t seem to be paying quite as much attention to the Royal Family’s clothing as I am to their charities and interactions with people (including Prince Harry and our little “Energizer Bunny,” Duchess Meghan!), but I’m sure that will change when Charlotte posts the next “knock-it-out-of-the-park” gown on here!

What an enjoyable day for them! And does William look like he is about to hold Kate's hand? Kate's dress was very pretty and a lovely colour. I think Kate's quiet accessories let the fabric shine, or glitter, as is the case.

I agree with some that fancier shoes would have been to much for this event. She already looks a tad over dressed. But what a dress. She looks fabulous. I love William. He has really loosened up and grown into his roll in the BRF. He is getting so bald though. Makes him look distinguished.

I sometimes think the Baroness’ (I just like saying that) superpower is making me lile things I don’t like. I dislike nearly all the elements in this look, the pleated skirt, the mid calf length, the knitted material. But somehow she brings it all together in a look I love. I have commented above that I think that she picked her go-to day shoes on purpose, a sparkling shoe with a sparkling dress would have made her overdress for the occasion.

I just love the whole ensemble. Perfect for a reception that really isn’t formal. William doesn’t have a tie on, and his shoes are more casual, so Kate’s choice of shoe I think is just right, and I love her new jewelry.

After observing all the photos I like Kate’s choice of pumps and clutch💚, she was trying not to take away from the beauty of the dress. I like your observation of pumps too. Since you mentioned William, the first item I notice was his shoes, they should have been navy suede and then no tie a casual look. Since Kate’s dress is a little more dressy, William should have wore a dark Green tweed blazer with pale green shirt and black trousers & shoes. He needs to invest in a fewer more blazers and shoes to compliment Kate’s outfits. It would be great if their staff reads theses fashions blogs to get some tips from the public.

I like the originality of the dress. Both fabric and colour are interesting and Kate looks nice, elegant and fresh. As for accessories, I share the opinion of many others: even if I don't dislike them, I think they are a little plain. I would have dared more, above all with the shoes. The coverage of the event is beautiful as always. Thank you Charlotte.

I think Kate looks so great lately. Maybe she has changed her stylist or sth. She is still in the “Kate” style but with a bit of twist and more bling-bling in some elements, which I totally love.

I love the shade of green with shimmer. The overall look is dressy and appropiated. I don’t particularly dislike the shoes and clutch. But I do agree with many comments above that silver or any sparkle shoes or bag, would make this look to another level (but would also make her look a bit overdressed.)

Love the dress and the shoe is perfect to accompany it, anything darker or more shimmering would be too much with such a sparkly dress. I also love her pendant necklace! Great post. Thanks for doing these.

I've developed an interest in history over the past year or so, and lately have been reading about Northern Ireland's relationship with England. I was young when there were many IRA bombings, so I heard about it on the news but didn't really understand the causes behind it all. There is still much that I don't know, and it seems that the relationship remains complex and troubled, given that their itineraries aren't announced in advance.

The engagements today were so joy-filled! I expect it was the endorphins from the outdoor activities. :) But I also wonder if it seemed especially fun given the more surprising nature of the trip itself. Kate looks absolutely beautiful at the reception. As a complete look, it is one of my very favorites.

This is a beautiful dress and Kate look beautiful. When I first saw the dress, I was expecting that she might have had some type of 'gray' shoe on. Can't think of everything in her wardrobe in this minute - but the praline looks slightly off. They must be sooooo comfortable and I'm hoping that she is comfortable. I

I also think this dress would look lovely with a strappy sandal - maybe that could be look number 2.

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